QUOTES FROM THE BARD

PLAY: Cymbeline
ACT/SCENE: 3.4
SPEAKER: Pisanio
CONTEXT:
PISANIO
Please you, read;
And you shall find me, wretched man, a thing
The most disdain’d of fortune.
IMOGEN
[Reads] ‘Thy mistress, Pisanio, hath played the
strumpet in my bed; the testimonies whereof lie
bleeding in me. I speak not out of weak surmises,
but from proof as strong as my grief and as certain
as I expect my revenge. That part thou, Pisanio,
must act for me, if thy faith be not tainted with
the breach of hers. Let thine own hands take away
her life: I shall give thee opportunity at
Milford-Haven. She hath my letter for the purpose
where, if thou fear to strike and to make me certain
it is done, thou art the pandar to her dishonour and
equally to me disloyal.’
PISANIO
What shall I need to draw my sword? the paper
Hath cut her throat already. No, ’tis slander,
Whose edge is sharper than the sword, whose tongue
Outvenoms all the worms of Nile, whose breath
Rides on the posting winds and doth belie
All corners of the world: kings, queens and states,
Maids, matrons, nay, the secrets of the grave
This viperous slander enters. What cheer, madam?

DUTCH:
Wat is hier zwaard van noode ? Reeds de brief
Heeft haar de keel doorpriemd. — Neen, neen, ‘t is laster;
Diens vlijm is scherper dan het zwaard; zijn tand
Is giftiger dan ‘t giftigst Nijlgebroed.

MORE:
Slander is sharper than the sword (see Winter’s Tale, 2.3, and Measure for Measure, 3.2)
Worms=Serpents
Outvenom=Is more venomous than
Posting=Swift, fleet
Belie=Misrepresent
Compleat:
Slander=Laster, lasterkladde
In post-haste=Met groote spoed, te post
Belie (Bely)=Beliegen; lasteren
His actions bely his words=Zyn bedryf logenstraft zyne woorden; hy spreekt zich zelf tegen door zyn gedrag

Topics: language, law/legal, abuse, truth